The present invention concerns generally plant containers used in nurseries and particularly to such container effecting air pruning of plant roots.
It is well recognized that the condition of the root system of a potted nursery plant determines the prospects of the plant surviving being transplanted successfully.
Conventional plant containers with solid walls or with only drain openings often cause the plant roots to be crowded in the bottom of the container or along upright container walls. As successful transplanting is largely contingent upon rapid root colonization of the native soil, such matting or crowding of the roots in a potted plant is highly undesirable. Such a root system does not have enough properly positioned small roots to provide adequate nutrients or moisture to the plant.
Attempts have been made to provide nursery plant containers with openings in the container walls for the purpose of promoting root growth as the openings permit air-pruning of the roots as, for example, the pot disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,037. Associated with the openings in the prior art container are inclined ledges about the container for the purpose of guiding roots toward wall defined openings. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,088 discloses a nursery pot with an upright wall apertured so as to promote root growth as well as for drainage purposes. Further, openings are circumferentially spaced about the bottom of the container for root growth and to provide drainage.
The frequent pruning of root tips as by air-pruning will promote small root growth within the container. Upon transplating into native soil, new root tip initiation and elongation from these numerous rootlets will colonize the soil rapidly, providing nutrients and moisture, and quickly supporting top heavy plants. The following described container is directed toward overcoming the deficiencies of known nursery plant containers.